


A Cat, an Apartment and a Deathbed

by tyuoi



Series: A Place in the Sun [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Cancer, F/F, M/M, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-23
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-05-02 23:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5268473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tyuoi/pseuds/tyuoi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are things in this world that are out of your control. For example, your sister being diagnosed with neuroblastoma and falling for the mean boy next door with a cute cat.</p><p>-on hold-</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New Neighbor

**Author's Note:**

> This was something that got started from my one shot series The Misfortune of Hinata Shouyou

He taps his fingers on the desk rhythmically, his leg bouncing rapidly like a sprung coil—a nervous tick that kicks in when he’s been sitting idle for too long. His eyes dart to the clock.

It doesn’t move.

He looks back at his professor who’s now scrawling on the chalkboard with handwriting that resembles chicken-scratch more than it does actual handwriting. Her long hair sways slightly as she moves, making various hand motions to elaborate her point in the lecture. He can’t focus on her words.

It’s sunny outside and his feet are aching to step outdoors and feel the sun’s warmth after so many days of its absence. It’s been a long winter, one that continues to drawl past its stretch of time even though it’s already mid-March. There’s still a chill to the wind, which is why he still has to bundle up every time he leaves home, much too his discomfort; he hates stuffy clothes, too restricting.

He glances back at the clock but the hand has barely moved.

He looks down at his notes or really his lack of them. The majority of the ink on his paper is scrawled in the margin that took the shapes and forms of doodles. Letting out a deep exhale, his head finds purchase in his palm and he looks back up to the teacher, which was a huge mistake because she’s staring directly at him and he knows that she’s about to ask him a question.

“Hinata. Give me a statement on Asimov’s and Clarke’s role on shaping modern fiction.” Her bird like eyes burrow into him and suddenly he is fully aware of the clock’s hand passing each second.

He opens his mouth to speak but whatever words he was about to say shrivel up in his throat and he shrinks back into his desk in a defeated manner.

He knows the answer, he does, he just can’t string together a sentence for the life of him.

The professor stares at him for a few more seconds before she averts her attention and much to his chagrin, says in a tight voice, “See me after class Hinata.”

Hinata’s face blossoms with rouge and if he was cold earlier he surely isn’t now.

The girl next to him, Sao, glances at him with a sympathetic look and slides her notebook his way. He nods his thank you and starts to copy down the notes, attempting his best to stay focused for the rest of class.

 

When the dull, barely audible sound of the campus clock tower sounds the students are dismissed for the day and Hinata shuffles his walk of shame to his professor’s desk.

She glances up from her documents and stares at him pointedly, her black eyes narrowed slightly behind her thick frames.

“Your mind has been wandering lately. Is this something I should worry will affect your work?”

Hinata finds that it is easier to stare at her perfectly manicured hands than to look her directly in the eye as he’s being scolded.

He shakes his head slowly and stares at his feet. “No, of course not.”

There is a short silence before she asks, “Is there something you’d like to talk about?”

He immediately thinks of his sister, Natsu, but as soon as the thought occurs it vanishes.

He shakes his head once again, only this time firmly. His professor dismisses him after this waving her hand lightly with the off note mention to study for his upcoming exams. As if it wasn’t something that consumed his thoughts already.

Hinata makes his way out of the university, heavy books in one hand and his phone in the other. He stares at his contact list and his thumb is hovering over his mother’s number but it never presses down and his phone is shoved back in pocket much like an unfinished sentence; most things were like that recently in his life.

He passes by the corner shop and contemplates buying a meat bun for dinner but he can’t seem to stir up his appetite so he continues his way home.

His route home is always quiet and isn’t quite scenic either but it is thankfully short. He reaches his apartment building and climbs the stairs at a languid pace before he fumbles with his keys to open his door.

He drops them and it takes him a moment to realize he has and when he reaches down to retrieve them the door to his apartment is swung open.

He is rather shocked at this because first, he doesn’t have a roommate so who’s slippers is he staring at and second, there’s a ball of black fur that has appeared in front of his face and is adamant on rubbing all over him.

He stares at the cat with its wide blue eyes and his insides warm a bit before a loud hacking noise distracts him.

Hinata finally stands up straight and is met with a pair of cold blue eyes that are slanted with irritation and are currently glaring at him.

“Why the hell were you trying to get into my apartment?” The neighbor asks angrily. His voice is gruff and grated as if he was a chronic smoker.

Hinata blinks rapidly in confusion.  “Your apartment…?”

The stranger scowls and points at his door and sure enough the number reads _346_ instead of _347._

Hinata’s face is kissed by a sudden heat and he stumbles backward awkwardly and sputters out a cringe-worthy, “S-Sorry! I’m your new neighbor, Hinata Shouyou,” he laughs nervously. “I must’ve mistaken your apartment for mine…sorry. Guess this isn’t the best impression.” He averts his eyes slightly settling to stare at the intimidating boy’s nose instead of his eyes.

His neighbor opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted by his own cough, a rough one that causes him to bend at the waist. When he recovers he glares at Hinata as if the boy was the reason why he was ill. “Yeah, well don’t make the mistake again,” is spat in his direction.

And then the door is shut in his face, and Hinata is left with nothing to do but to walk into the correct apartment this time.

\--

His room is dim and its only illumination comes from the moonlight seeping in through the slits in his window blinds and the bright green block letters that read, 2:08am.

There is the silent hum of the air vents but asides from that, it is dead silent.

He’s lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, his eyes following each bumpy curve in it.

He’s thinking about his sister and his mother and upcoming exams.

Hinata doesn’t sleep much for the rest of the night.

\--

Even though it’s a Sunday, one of two days free, he wakes at the crack of dawn, his body resistant and hating him for doing so. When he convinces himself to actually leave the bed he is assaulted by cold, and if he was sluggish before, he no longer is now that he’s sprinting towards the bathroom.

The hot steam and rhythmic downpour of his shower kneads his tense muscles and puts him at ease.

When he’s out and continues his morning routine he avoids looking in the mirror, knowing that what he would see would depress him. He did not want to see his sunken eyes, and the black smudged beneath them, or how his complexion has lightened by a few shades and has left him a sickly pale green.

Hinata packs a few items of clothing in his bag and is out the door by 8am, grabbing an apple on his way out.

When he reaches the lobby of the complex he sees his neighbor, the one who was rude to him the prior day, struggling with his keys to open his mailbox. Hinata glances at the time on his phone and back at the tall boy. He leaves in the end, convincing himself that it was because he didn’t have time, that he was going to be late, and not that he had been avoiding people since the quarter had started.

\--

The train is packed, people back to back like packaged fish, and Hinata is pressed awkwardly against the doors.

There’s a little girl next to him with pink butterfly clips in her hair playing with her mom’s hand. Her eyes light up every time her mother says something too her in a low, calm voice, as if she’s watching God himself.

She reminds him of his sister and it chokes him, his airway tightly constricted.

Natsu used to look at him like that and she would smile so wide that the sunlight coming from in between her teeth had split the earth in half. Although, she never smiled with her mouth open because of her crooked teeth, self-consciousness knawing at her at such a young age. On the day of her sixth birthday his mother and father had saved up enough money to get her teeth fixed, which was ironic because it was the year Natsu stopped smiling.

\--

It took him roughly an hour and a half of walking and jumping from train to train to get to his house. The day was closing in on noon but the sky was grey and dull and the sun made no effort to welcome him back home.

His house was still the same way he had remembered; still small and warm and sat atop a hill.

He gave three quick raps to the door and took a step back, waiting anxiously.

The door cracked open not a moment later and his mother slipped into his view. She was beaming at him, ushering the boy into her arms, cooing in his ears about how much she’d missed him. Her hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed in a while, a few wild strays poking out from underneath her headband, and her clothes were crinkled, a few buttons mismatched, which struck him as odd because if there was anything he remembered about his mother throughout his childhood was how polished she looked no matter the time of year.

He pulled away from her embrace hesitantly and asked, “Where’s Natsu?”

His mother’s placid smile slipped slightly. “She’s in the living room watching TV.”

Hinata nodded and walked inside, thankful for the slight warmth the house provided.

His mother patted his back. “Come, I made some tea.”

Hinata followed his mother, shuffling awkwardly, a bit uncomfortable in his own home. He sat on the floor, his knees cushioned, and waited for his mom to distribute the tea.

She crouched across from him and sipped at her tea, her face expectant. “So how is school?”

“It’s good,” he answered automatically.

“Your grades?” She smiled warmly.

“Good as well. I’ve been studying a lot,” the last part was true at least.

Her eyes glistened with endearment. “Have you made any friends, Shouyou?”

“Yes, of course,” he lied and cracked an awful grin. It wasn’t like she’d believe him if he had said no; he had always been social, maybe a bit too much.

“I’m so proud of you, son,” there were tears welling in her small eyes and it caused Hinata’s breath to cease.

He blushed and lowered his head, chuckling softly. “Thank you, Mom.”

He sipped his tea, recovering quickly. “How’s Dad?”

“Busy, as you know. He misses you two.”

Hinata nodded. “I know. Maybe we should visit him in Beijing sometime to surprise him,” he suggested even though he knew there were no chances of it actually happening.

She nodded and forced out an agreement.

A silence stretched far between them, making Hinata feel distant more so than he had when he was hours away.

“Would you like to talk to Natsu?”

He nodded eagerly and put his dish in the sink before following his mother into the living room.

Natsu was huddled in front of the TV, a bundle of blankets wrapped around her. He walked hesitantly over to her and sat to her side.

“What are you watching?” Hinata asked in a small voice, fearful of scaring her.

Natsu glanced at him and her eyes softened with warmth. “Nii-san.”

Hinata grinned and collected her in his arms, reluctant to let go.

\--

Natsu’s sickness was something that became as natural as any passing notion in their families life. It became a constant roll of emotional wreck and financial debt, something that seemed to have always existed, fated before she had even been a thought in their parent’s minds.

She had been diagnosed on her sixth year of walking this wretched planet—during Hinata’s fifth year of elementary. She had gone in to a dentist’s appointment and had come out with more than a few straightened teeth and metal plating. The orthodontist had asked her if she had had any medical checkups, a form of doctor small talk, and of course Natsu hadn’t understood his question so she called Hinata. Hinata had told him no, which the dentist frowned down on and had scolded him saying that he needed to remind his parents to do so.

When they were on the train back home Hinata had mentioned to his father.

“Neh, ‘Tou-san, shouldn’t you take me and Natsu to the doctor’s?”

“Natsu and I,” he had corrected and had turned to face his son. “Why do you ask?”

“Mm, the dentist was being a meanie about it. He said kids need to go to the doctor’s yearly.”

A heavy sigh. “You know I don’t have time for these things, Shouyou. Why don’t you ask your mother?”

So he had. And she had reluctantly agreed.

And they had gone. And the doctor had started to ask Natsu a bunch of questions, like, “Does your tummy hurt frequently?” Which Hinata had always thought was something normal for his sister and hadn’t thought much of before. He had asked if Natsu’s appetite was anything out of the ordinary, one which restricted her from eating normally. He had always thought she was just a picky eater with a small stomach.

The doctor had told them to keep him updated in case anything else odd came up. And they had forgotten about it all, if only momentarily.

But then Natsu’s stomach aches got worse and she stopped eating and a strange lump had begun to form on her lower abdomen.

So they had returned to the hospital and they had sent her for various evaluations over a course of a few days and finally they had recommended a screening.

The lump had turned out to be a tumor. Cancerous. Caused by neuroblastoma.

Hinata could seamlessly remember the rapid decline of his sister’s health after that; although, he wished he couldn’t.

Their life had changed dramatically. Natsu spent less time in school and more time as an inpatient. Hinata’s father lived almost yearly in Beijing and Tokyo, working, trying to support the family and payoff the treatments. When his mother wasn’t by Natsu’s side or making phone calls with doctors around the world, she made herself busy by cleaning and cooking. Hinata spent a lot of time at his aunt’s whenever his mom and Natsu would travel to Bangkok’s Cancer Center. It became a second home of his; although it felt nothing like home, it was certainly more homely than his own house.

When Natsu turned nine the treatments kicked in and she became lively again. She gained weight and re-enrolled in school. But they were fools if they believed the cancer would not return.

\--

His mother had insisted on him going to college even after Natsu got sick again and even if it just put a bigger dent in their wallet.

So he had promised her and mostly himself that he would get good grades and choose a worthwhile career.

It was harder than it sounded.

He tapped his pencil against his textbook and scanned his eyes over a sentence he had already read multiple times.

He groaned lightly and fell back on his bed, closing his eyes. He felt himself drifting when a loud sneeze erupted his silence. He jolted up, expecting to see the culprit in his room, but no one was there.

There was another loud sneeze, followed by a moan and Hinata realized it was coming from behind his apartment wall.

He pressed his ear against the wall, like you would naturally and listened to the person next door shuffle around their apartment.

Eventually, the noise died down and Hinata was forced to return to his studying.

After an hour of fruitlessly staring at his open textbook, he decided to walk into the kitchen and make himself something to eat. He opened his fridge to find it barren and he made a mental note to go to the grocery shop after class tomorrow.

There was a loud bang that resonated through the apartment and it caused Hinata to yelp and jump, hitting his head on the refrigerator’s door.

He scowled and rubbed at his forehead and watched the wall from where the sound had originated from with wide, nervous eyes.

When the next few seconds where filled with eerie silence, he crept towards the wall, pressing the side of his head flat against it and knocked.

When he heard nothing in response he knocked a second time and reluctantly asked, “Are you okay over there?”

It was silent for a moment and then he heard slight shuffling and a whine of sorts.

“Yes.” The voice was muffled but audible.

“Are you sure? It sounded like you fell…”

“…I did.”

“Do you need help?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

It was the last he heard of his neighbor that night.

\--

Class was dull as always but like all things it came to an inevitable end. When he got back to his building he cursed himself out for forgetting to go to the store, but he was already turning his key in the keyhole.

He heard his neighbor cough loudly again. He frowned as his mind was bombarded by memories of his sister.

He glanced at his door and then the one of his neighbor and bounded back down the stairs, deciding he still had time to stop by the store.

\--

Struggling to open his door with all the groceries in his hands, Hinata wondered why exactly he had took it upon himself to make an actual home cooked meal. He hustled into his apartment and set the bags down on his counter.

He glanced at the textbooks on his bed but turned his back to them quickly and began to chop up vegetables.

\--

He knocked timidly, balancing the thermal full of kuzuyu on top of the container of food. He had never made rice porridge before, but his mother had always made it for him when he was sick and he had tried his best to mimic her recipe.

Hinata waited nervously in the hall and was about to knock a second time thinking that his neighbor hadn’t heard him when the door was cracked open.

He jolted back slightly, surprised, his plates wobbling a bit.

The boy eyed him wearily, his glare roaming over Hinata and the food he held in his hands.

Hinata wanted to subconsciously cross his arms over his chest but they were occupied so he settled for taking a step back.

“Yes?”

Hinata swallowed the lump in his throat and thrusted his hands forward. “I-I…you’ve been sick for a while! So, I thought you could use some food…and also your coughing is distracting me from studying,” he murmured the last part, hoping it wouldn’t come across as rude.

The boy’s eyes widened a bit and Hinata noted the dark bags under those blue orbs. The boy looked so exhausted and ungroomed it made him seem less intimidating.

He seemed at a loss for words and simply stared at Hinata, his jaw slack.

Hinata felt something bump along his leg and when he looked down he was met with a pair of familiar blue eyes. He quickly handed the boy the food and knelt down to pet the friendly cat, his anxiety forgotten.

The cat purred beneath his finger, mewling as it was pet and it warmed Hinata’s heart. “What’s her name?”

When he didn’t receive an answer he glanced up which stirred the boy into responding.

“Neko.”

Hinata scrunched his features comically. “Neko? You named a cat, Cat?”

The boy took offense to this, sending Hinata a glare. “It’s not mine I’m just taking care of it for a friend.”

Hinata hummed in response and got up. He brushed his knees and regarded the boy. “I hope the food helps. Have a good day.”

The boy mumbled a thank you and a goodbye and closed his door.

Hinata looked down at Neko and chuckled, thinking that his Nameless neighbor was quite an airhead.

\--

Neko refused to leave his side so she ended up staying in Hinata’s apartment until he gathered up the courage to return her. He wondered if his neighbor had even noticed her absence or he just didn’t necessarily care.

She curled up to his side, warming the side of his thigh as he stared at the sitcom that was playing on the TV.

There was a knock at his door and it spread a small smile across his lips. But when he opened his door the hall was empty, and another knock had resonated.

He frowned and shut his door glancing at Neko. She got up and paid him no attention as she strutted to the kitchen wall.

Hinata blanched, unable to fathom how a cat was smarter than he was. He walked to stand next to the feline and tapped the wall.

There was a loud rap and a, “Did you rob my cat?” in response.

Hinata snorted loudly, thoroughly amused. “I thought she wasn’t your cat?”

“So you did steal her.”

“No…” Hinata said playfully.

“Give her back.”

Hinata lolled his eyes. “I’ll give her back if you tell me your name.”

There was no answer but about 5 minutes later there was another knock, only this time it came from his actual door.

The boy stood outside, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and he was pouting angrily in an endearing, childish way. “It’s Kageyama, now stop holding my cat hostage.”

Hinata cracked a smile and handed Neko over, and in a singsong voice said, “What a lovely name!”

Kageyama blushed, grabbed Neko, harsher than she probably appreciated, and left.

\--

His last class cancel got cancelled, something that rarely ever happened, so Hinata was able to get home much earlier than usual. It was odd walking his path home when it wasn’t four in the afternoon. Different people bustled through the street; middle-aged women with children, seniors, toddlers playing.

It felt less hectic.

He wasn’t rushing out of class to catch the train and the MRT wasn’t completely packed, which was a miracle all on its own.

Hinata got back to his apartment in record time and when he reached his floor he noticed his neighbor was leaving.

Kageyama glanced at him, throwing a look over his shoulder as he hurriedly locked his door.

“You,” he demanded in a voice that made Hinata jump slightly.

“Can you feed Neko tonight? I need to leave…just here,” he shoved a pair of keys into Hinata’s hand and hurried down the stairs past him.

Hinata stood there for a good five minutes trying to gather his thoughts and digest everything that had just happened. He exhaled and walked into his own apartment, dropping his things off, deciding that weirder things had happened to him before.

 

Kageyama’s apartment was immaculate with spare furniture here and there, making it look like he had just moved in and not Hinata. The first thing he noticed was Neko, crouched by the kitchen counter, her paw sitting on the rim of her bowl.

Hinata snorted to himself, walking over to pet her quickly before grabbing the bowl.

He searched through the kitchen cabinets and even in the fridge, but he couldn’t find any cat food. He glanced at Neko who gave him a very impatient and disappointed look as if she couldn’t believe how stupid Hinata was. Narrowing his eyes at the cat, he got up to search the living room, and when that proved futile he wandered into the hallway.

There were only two doors and he assumed one was to the bathroom and the other to a bedroom—it was an exact replica of his own apartment, only this one was sparsely filled with expensive items. Such as a flat screen TV, a leather couch that looked like it had been barely sat on and paintings on the walls that Hinata couldn’t guess the price of.

He felt a slight ting of jealousy. If his family had this money they wouldn’t be wasting it on materialistic things, but for treatments, new ones that weren’t covered by insurance. Hinata also knew that that wasn’t fair; it wasn’t like Kageyama had a dying sister to spend on.

\--

It turned out that the cat food was in the bathroom, which had to be the oddest place to keep cat food that Hinata had ever seen. Neko had chowed down eagerly when he had feed her, but that had been more than three hours ago and now she was curled up to his side on a couch that wasn’t his own.

It had been as if the TV was baiting him, beckoning him to just look at it and how could he refuse; he didn’t even own one. He’d started to marathon a crime show, a drama really, and he couldn’t find the strength in him to look away. It was something to numb and distract him from finals, amongst other things that circulated his mind.

There was a buzz in his pocket, alerting him of a message.

_< Yachi> I was out today~ Did you get the notes?_

Hinata smiled down at his phone. He had met Yachi in high school and it had been a miracle they’d ended up in the same university let alone the same literature class. But they had grown apart when Hinata learned that Natsu’s cancer had returned. She was too scared to ask and he was too scared to tell so it stayed like this, with scant texts asking for notes.

 _< You> Class was canceled. You didn’t miss much :)_ _  
_

Neko stretched next to him, her small white paws pressing against his thigh. He smiled down at her, feeling his eyes droop slightly before he allowed himself to be lulled to sleep.

\--

There were voices, muffled, low, hushed, the door rattling, shaken, loud, opening.

“Tobio you didn’t have to…”

“It’s fine. You know that.”

Cracking his eyes open, he saw a lithe figure peering at him from the kitchen.

“Tobio…who’s that?”

Kageyama turned, clearly confused.

Hinata’s eyes widened with realization and his mind was quickly cleared from the fog of sleep that boggled it. He practically jumped up from the couch, causing Neko to spring off of him in fear.

“I-I didn’t mean to…the time,” he looked around the room frantically, “I’m so sorry Kage—I’ll just leave.” He straightened himself to do so, but was stopped by the smiling stranger.

“Hi, I’m Sugawara,” he smiled angelically, “I believe we haven’t met yet.”

Kageyama stepped out from behind the light-haired boy looking stern and irritated, his arms crossed tightly. “That’s because you don’t need to,” Kageyama glanced at him, “He’s just my annoying neighbor that for some reason Neko likes more than me.”

Sugawara grinned and bounced back and forth on his feet. “That’s because animals don’t like you, Tobio.”

Kageyama scoffed and glared at his friend and Hinata found the entire thing quite amusing.

“Then why did you have me take care of her,” Kageyama bickered, muttering under his breath. Sugawara just sent him a knowing glance and focused his gaze on Hinata.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?”

Hinata’s face fumed with heat at the nickname but he managed to stutter out his name.

“Beautiful. It means a place in the sun, right?”

Hinata nodded, dumbfounded.

Sugawara grabbed his hand lightly and led him to the kitchen. “Well, Sunshine,” he grabbed two glass cups from the cupboard and set them on the table. “You’re going to help me get drunk because this guy,” he motioned to Kageyama, “is a sober boring son of a bitch.”

\--

“Wait let me get this. He broke up with you on your anniversary?” Hinata motioned with the hand that held his liquor.

Sugawara nodded somberly, a few tears circling his dark eyes.

Hinata felt a heat boil in his stomach, his anger bursting for someone he had just met. “Well, fuck him! I’ve known you for like,” he paused trying to count in his head but his mind was too slow to catch up to its own request.

“Two hours,” Kageyama offered in a bored tone.

Hinata threw his arms in the air. “Two hours! I’ve only known you for two hours and I can already tell that you are special and that bastard was a f-fool to let you go,” his words were slightly slurred by the alcohol’s influence but he was able to get his point across.

Suga burst into an infectious laughter and turned to the boy next to him. “Do you see this Tobio? Boy, you better not let this one go or I might just grab him for myself.”

Both Hinata and Kageyama’s cheeks burst into flames at the insinuation. Kageyama stood up abruptly and excused himself to the bathroom.

When he was out of the room Suga gave him one look and burst into an infectious laughter that stirred Hinata into giggling as well. When the amusement died down, Sugawara eyed him as he sipped his drink.

“So what horrible thing in your life has you getting wasted with a guy you just met?”

Hinata froze at the question, his fingers clenching around the cup.

“Oh, come on,” Suga drawled, leaning over the table, his eyes glinting in the kitchen light.

Hinata’s composure broke, his smile faltered, his eyes fell to the ground and he felt a knot swelling in his throat. “I-I…my sister.”

He looked at Suga for reassurance before he continued.

“She’s…been sick since I was a kid. Cancer. She got treatment, drained us of all of our savings, but she got better and that was all that mattered. So I applied to colleges, my mom wanted it, and by some miracle I got a scholarship and the Uni accepted me.”

His breath hitched in his throat slightly and he let out a small hiccup. Sugawara reached over the table to cup Hinata’s quivering hand in his.

“B-but she, she got sick again,” he reached up to paw at the tears that ran down his cheeks.

“And I have to s-stay here! Instead of being with her-r I have to stay in school, and-and get good grades because that’s what my parents want.”

Suga took the glass out of his hand and stood from his seat, scurrying over the table’s corner to help Hinata up and lead him to the couch. Suga glanced over his shoulder and shouted in a low voice, “Kageyama, help me.”

He felt a pair of warm arms secure around his middle and carry him over to the living room.

Suga was at his side in a manner of moments, cradling him in his arms as he sobbed.

He felt the world heave, the kitchen light dance on his skin, and all he could say was, “She’s dying.”


	2. A New Sense of Belonging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ch where you realize that this is just a fic where i make everyone flirtatious.

When the light filtered in through the curtains and the world demanded him to wake, Hinata pulled the covers over himself and ignored its plea. His head was pounding, his skull concaved like an egg cracked on the edge of a bowl.

There was a warmth at his shoulder, a soft grip. “You finally up, Sunshine?”

He peeked from under the sheet to look at Suga’s disheveled appearance.

“You want coffee? Always helps me with my hangovers,” Suga stood and walked over to the kitchen languidly pouring himself a cup of brewing black coffee.

Hinata nodded slowly and returned to his fetal position, cocooned in the blanket’s shelter and warmth.

Soon enough there was a tap at his shoulder and cup was shoved in his face. He sat up, blankets draping his small frame as he timidly accepted the mug.

Suga sat on the table across form the sofa, something he was sure Kageyama would scold him for, with his legs crossed and his eyes expectant.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Suga asked gently.

Hinata shook his head quickly and when it grew too quiet he asked a question of his own. “Where’s Kageyama?”

Suga straightened slightly and gave him a small smile. “He’s out buying breakfast since we’re all shit cooks. Unless you’re a secret chef?”

Hinata giggled but shook his head. “Just a writer.”

Suga nodded. “A writer. Suits you.”

“You think? I used to be terrible at anything literature in school, but I guess that changed.” He thumbed the edge of his mug.

Suga made a noise of agreement and sipped at his coffee, his gaze trained on the window.

“Sugawara-san,” he began.

Suga turned and gave him a coy smile. “Call me Suga.”

Hinata stuttered at being interrupted but nodded at the request. “Suga…are you okay? You seemed pretty upset about your boyfriend last night.”

Suga’s smile slipped momentarily before it was plastered with renewed paste. “It’s fine really.”

Hinata nodded and dropped the subject, a bit uneased by the smothering silence.

“I hadn’t been with him for too long actually,” Suga said abruptly as he played with the hem of his sleeve.

“It wasn’t supposed to be a relationship thing…he isn’t the type for those things. But I guess I’m just not good at following rules,” he exhaled deeply, sounding older than the age he had earned. “I should’ve known better.”

Hinata squirmed on the couch, confused as to what to say and how to comfort.

“I’m an idiot aren’t I?” Suga asked, his eyes finally meeting Hinata’s. “For loving him after everything he’s done.”

Hinata locked his gaze with Suga and with as much conviction he could muster, said, “No.”

“I don’t think you’re stupid. “ He paused to collect his thoughts. “You love him even after he’s hurt you, but it’s because you see the good in people. That’s why you fell for him in the first place right? It’s easy to judge on first glance but it’s hard to see the good in people because it’s something that you have to find.”

Suga stared at him wide-eyes, jaw slack, awed.

“It’s says a lot about you, but it doesn’t say anything bad.”

Suga looked as if he was choking but he managed to hold back any tears. Suga watched Hinata with a look that he couldn’t quite place and he wasn’t sure if he should feel offended by it or not.

“Kageyama is so lucky,” he muttered.

The door closed at that moment and Kageyama hung his coat, his back facing the two. “Why am I lucky?”

Suga jumped at his voice and quickly got up to steal the bag of food from the boy’s hand. “Because! You got here just in time, I’m starving and therefore your life is spared.”

He practically skipped his way over to Hinata and handed him a sandwich, his smile a million miles wide. With a piece of toast in his mouth and a mug in hand Suga glided towards the door and slipped on his coat.

“Got to go guys! Daichi will kill me if I’m late again,” and with that he was gone, leaving Hinata alone with someone he barely knew even if he had met him before the angelic boy.

Kageyma stared blankly at Hinata, his face expectant. Hinata got the hint and stood to leave as well. When he got to the door he turned slightly, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“I’m guessing you heard everything I said last night.” It was framed as more of a question than a statement.

Kageyama simply looked at him with a tired face and awkward movements as if he couldn’t wait for this conversation to be over.

“I’m sure the entire complex heard your wailing.”

Hinata flinched back at his words and simply let a small ‘oh’ escape him before he left.

\--

He calls his mom on Sunday because it’s one of his days off and because he can’t see her in person since midterms are the following week. She doesn’t pick up on the first call, most likely doing laundry, so he calls her again. This time she answers on the third ring.

_“Shouyou, honey! Sorry I couldn’t hear you over the washer.”_

He smiles slightly at his correct prediction.

“Hi Mom.”

 _“How are you, sweetheart?”_ Her voice is a bit ragged, out of use almost.

“Good. Studying. Sorry I couldn’t come over today.”

_“Nonsense, school is more important.”_

He wants to disagree, argue you that nothing is more important than Natsu, especially if they don’t know how many Sunday visits she’ll be around for. But he doesn’t, for his mother’s sake.

They reminisce and make small talk before she excuses herself to hang wet clothes; the dryer was another of the many things they sold.

He wondered whether it was to pay for Natsu’s treatments or his school tuition. 

\--

Staring at the empty, blank sheets of paper on his desk, he replays his teachers words in his head, the essay’s prompt. He listens to the scattered scratches of pencils being pushed mercilessly across paper by a seventy or so students. He listens to the intakes of his unsteady breaths and he rakes at his inner forearm, letting the irritated skin bloom a vibrant rouge.

He stares at the white, colorless paper and thinks to himself that this, this is when he gets to prove himself to everyone. To his father who scowled at his choice of major, to his high school teachers who reprimanded him when his papers weren’t good enough, to his mother, that the money was worth it, not wasted. To prove to himself that he was worthy not genetics just wasted.

He picked up his pen.

 

His professor had notified the class that after they’d finished the exam they were dismissed.

One by one the class grew smaller and papers were handed in. He continued to work, continued to write, resisted to look up to pay attention to the sounds of pages turning or the rustling of bags and footsteps.

He ignored it all and when he was done he simply stared at his work and smiled triumphantly.

\--

His chest is about to burst with glee. His walk is swayed with it and his weight has lightened, his feet appearing to hardly touch the ground.

He feels light, dare he say, happy.

The emotion settles in his chest cavity like an old friend welcomed into the husk home of his body.

Midterm week is over and its Friday; his first day off.

When he bounds up the steps of his apartment building he sees Kageyama’s door is open and Suga is leaning on the door frame, looking in, talking.

“Suga-san!”

He whirls around and Hinata is surprised he didn’t get whip lash. “Hinata,” he smiles warmly.

It’s been two weeks since they’ve spoken. Although, Hinata has seen him come in and out of Kageyama’s apartment a few times in those two weeks, he was just too humiliated over how they met to confront him. But today is the day he has decided to put his worries to the side, if only for the day.

“We’re celebrating,” Suga announces cheerfully and Hinata stops at his side.

“Why?”

“Because I have been graced with your presence once again,” he coos and ruffles Hinata’s hair.

He flushes, his cheeks grazed with heat and he splutters, “W-What?”

“Oh, please! You don’t think I’ve noticed how you’ve been avoiding us,” Suga narrows his eyes to slits. “Hmm?”

Hinata lets out a breathy laugh. “About that…”

“Sugawara just ask the damn kid out!” Is shouted from inside apartment 346 in an annoyed, gruff voice.

Suga raises an eyebrow at the exclamation and turns to yell back, “That’s your job, Tobio-chan!”

“Don’t call me that!”

Hinata tries to giggle at their banter even if it’s focused on him and tries to subdue his cheeks heated color.

Suga turns to face him once again. “You look cheerful.”

Hinata grins. “Exams are over.”

Suga’s smile widens. “Well, that’s a cause for celebration! What do you say?”

He finds himself agreeing before he even thought it through and now he’s being pushed into the apartment.

Kageyama stares up from his computer and scowls. “You can’t just invite people into my apartment, Suga.”

Suga cocks his head and smiles lovingly. “Yes I can,” he sings in a condescending voice and leaves no room for argument. He plops himself on the couch next to Kageyama and waits for Hinata to do the same.

He sits in the corner far from his seething neighbor.

“Call our friends,” Suga suggests.

Kageyama doesn’t even glance up from his computer or cease to type. “They’re busy.”

“How could you possibly know that?” Suga chastises. “Besides its Friday. They have nothing better to do.”

Kageyama simply rolls his eyes and concentrates harder on the screen in front of him.

Suga reaches over him and grabs the phone next to him, which Hinata assumes belongs to Kageyama, and starts dialing. “I’ll just have to do it then.”

Kageyama makes a sound of annoyance but protests no further.

\--

When he stepped out the bathroom there was the familiar sound of the door opening and when he popped his head around the hall corner he saw a figure slip out the door.

His brows furrowed and a small pout formed on his lips. “Where’s he going?” He asks motioning to Kageyama's absence.

Suga emerged from behind the refrigerator door and shrugged. “Who knows?” Then he disappeared behind the fridge door once again, continuing his rummaging. Hinata shuffled towards the kitchen and propped his hands on top of the door—standing on the top of his toes to do so—and watched Sugawara gather food in his arms.

“What ya’ doing?” He asked as he rested his head on his propped forearms.

Suga glanced at him before he scooted onto the kitchen counter and stood. Reaching for something on an impossibly high shelf. Honestly, why was it built in a way that required climbing onto the kitchen top to reach?

Suga tinkered with something on the high shelf and answered his question. “Cooking.”

Hinata raised a brow in question. “This is the oddest form of cooking that I’ve ever witnessed.”

Suga let out a breathy laugh, his hips shaking slightly and then the abrupt tune of classical music seeped into the air.

Suga hopped off the counter, hips swaying, stove burning. He cast a quick glance behind him. “Hinata can you chop up those carrots for me?”

Hinata groaned dramatically and begrudgingly closed the fridge door.

As he chopped vegetables, sesame oil wafting the air, music filling the small apartment with joy, his mind began to wander.

He spent so many days after school watching his mother cook, the sound of the television’s buzz behind them. His chest contorted with a dull throb and a sudden case of nostalgia sat heavy on his tongue.

He should be there, was what he thought. At home, taking care of his sister, not wasting time and money in college.

Suppressing the rising guilt, he glanced at Suga’s dancing form and smiled. “What are we cooking exactly?”

Suga peered at him out of the corner of his eyes, a playful stretch of his lips. “It’s a surprise.”

Hinata grunted in response and continued chopping. “When will your friends be here?”

Suga hummed thoughtfully. “Probably in an hour or so.”

“They’re not too wild, right?” Hinata crowed. “I’m not sure if I’m up to get piss drunk tonight.”

Suga snorted and leaned against the counter, wooden spoon in hand. “Please, they’re pretty domestic. They’ll probably just want to play twenty questions with you. Curious as to the neighbor Tobio is so nice to.”

Hinata frowned and glanced at the light haired boy. “Nice? That’s his nice side?”

Suga grinned at him. “He’s just a kid. Just doesn’t know how to make friends is all. Bit of a wallflower, you know?”

Hinata perked at the information, slightly intrigued. It sounded familiar to how people described him. Although, when he thought about it there was little similarities between the two.

He set the knife down and turned to face Suga. “Veggies are done. What now?”

Suga held his hand out. “Pass them over, Sunshine.”

He did still feel a bit embarrassed at the nickname even if he was getting used to Suga's personality. He decided to just wait and be further instructed. Suga poured the vegetables in the pan and waved Hinata over. “Wanna stir?”

Hinata shrugged but picked up the spoon anyway.

Suga hopped back on the counter and watched him, humming quietly to the current song playing.

“It was his favorite song,” he glanced at Hinata with a somber smile. “My ex that is…Used to play the same record every time he’d study. It’s a wonder it never drove me bonkers.”

Hinata perked slightly in curiosity. “Your ex? You don’t talk about him much…”

Sugawara hummed in agreement. “That bastard.” His voice was fond compared to the crude words he’d spoken.

“What was he like?” Hinata asked, hoping he wasn’t being to prying.

“He was a hot, confident, cocky asshole. But he was really just a kid; liked to tease everyone and give them silly nicknames.” Suga sighed out through his nose and kicked his legs slightly.

“Kageyama has been kind enough to let me stay here. In fact, when I gather the courage to go back and get my stuff I’ll end up moving here.”

Hinata brightened at the statement. “I’m glad.”

A smile returned to Suga’s features; a relief to Hinata, frowns didn’t fit him well. “Now we can have sleepovers whenever we want.”

Hinata giggled and put the wooden spoon down. “I’m not sure Kageyama would be too happy about that.”

The front door cracked open, and if you whisper the devil’s name too many times it’s bound to appear.

Kageyama stepped in, unwrapping the scarf from around his neck. He glanced at Suga then at Hinata and held up a plastic bag. “I got some movies at Daichi’s request.”

Suga whistled at the statement and grabbed the bag to search its contents.

“I’m going to take a shower. “ Kageyama glanced at Hinata again almost as if he had forgotten why the boy was there before he sauntered out of the room.

There was the sound of the shower going off and Hinata was slightly off put by how thin the walls were.

Suga yelped gleefully and held up a movie. Hinata could only catch the word ‘Hell’ in the title before Suga screamed, “I’ve been dying to see this movie for forever.”

Hinata chuckled and set down the dishrag in his hand down and walked over to his friend. “A horror?”

Suga gleamed at him. “You betcha. Don’t tell me you’re afraid.”

Hinata shook his head. “Nah, I love them.”

Suga grinned but the smile quickly fell when a ring sounded throughout the air. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “Oh! They’re here. I’m gonna go let them in, stay here.”

And then he was out the door.

Hinata blinked a few times a bit whiplashed before he came to.

There was a slight burning smell that sifted through the apartment. He scrunched up his nose and turned to the kitchen where his worst fears were confirmed.

The dishrag he had set down was on fire, flames licking out from the stove. Hinata froze, his brain paralyzed with fear and confusion and goddamn it he looked away from the food for five minutes only.

And then the fire alarm went off and it only added to his anxiety.

With all that was happening he didn’t even realize Kageyama come into the room until he was in front of him, dripping wet, confusion and anger flashing across his face.

“What the hell is going on here?!”

Hinata met his glare and he couldn’t muster up a reply besides a small squeak. Kageyama growled and grabbed a large dish towel and soaked it in water before he threw it on top of the fire, quelling it quickly.

Kageyama turned, his nose pinched between his fingers. And it was then that Hinata noticed that the boy was stark naked aside from the towel wrapped tightly around his waist.

He felt his face burn the color of a bad sunburn, a bright red that rivaled the hair on his head.

“Where is Sugawara?”

Hinata tried to splutter out a reply but before he could the door was busted though. Laughter filled the room before it quickly died down and a familiar question was asked.

“What the hell?”

 

They ended up ordering takeout, much to Hinata’s chagrin and guilt. Suga had reassured him several times that it was fine and aside from Kageyama’s occasional grating comment no one else seem to really mind. Actually, they all thought it was quite hilarious and took an immediate liking to Hinata. They really were more preoccupied with teasing the half-naked Kageyama than fretting over the ruined meal.

The smallest one, surprisingly shorter than Hinata even if it was by a few measly inches, had immediately bombarded him with rapid fire questions. Apparently, Suga hadn’t been exaggerating about the whole twenty questions thing.

The very tall yet surprisingly humble one jabbed the smaller one in the ribcage—Asahi was it?

“You haven’t even told Hinata-san your name since we arrived.” Asahi whispered in a strained tone, but something told Hinata he was used to the other boy’s antics.

The energetic boy made a small ‘o’ face, his expression a bit bashful before he popped a hip out, his hand placed firmly on it and shouted, “Nishinoya Yuu! But you can just call me Nishinoya senpai.”

Hinata blanched at the statement and nodded slowly a bit unsure of how to respond, considering the other already knew his name.

Asahi threw him a sympathetic look. “He’s joking about the senpai thing.”

Nishinoya frowned at his friend and stuck out his tongue in a childish manner, making a burst of laughter escape Hinata. He quickly clasped a hand over his mouth but it didn’t do much to contain his laughter.

Nishi grinned at him but it quickly turned into a scowl when Tanaka wrapped an arm around his neck and jostled him playfully.

“Oh, Yuu no one can take you seriously when you’re that stature,” Tanaka sang in a faux voice and ruffled the boy’s dark hair.

Nishinoya pushed out of the embrace and got out of his chair flinging his arms outward and yelling in a hurt voice, “Bullies! Bullies the lot of you!”

Hinata was lost in a fit of giggles and soon he was joined by Suga and Daichi.

Nishinoya, seemingly fed up with them, stomped over to the couch and plopped next to Kageyama, brooding. Hinata decided to join him when he was able to get his laughter under control.

Nishinoya immediately sprawled across his lap, head on his thigh and legs on top of Kageyama. Hinata flushed at the contact and stuttered a bit.

“Wah! When does the takeout get here Suga?”

Suga opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by Kageyama’s gruff tone.

“Get your feet off me, weirdo.”

Nishi rolled his eyes and picked up his legs to free Kageyama who quickly scooted to the far end of the couch.

Wide brown orbs met Hinata’s own and he couldn’t help the heat that fought its way onto his cheeks at the proximity to the other boy. Nishi grinned seemingly amused at his effect on the redhead.

“Don’t worry I don’t bite,” he whispered in a playful tone and jumped off of Hinata to engage Daichi in a conversation.

It took Hinata a few moments to gather himself and suppress the blush that made itself at home on his face.

“Stay away from that one. He’s weird.”

Hinata glanced at Kageyama and fixed him with an odd look.

At the sound of the doorbell Hinata’s attention was ripped away from his strange neighbor and focused instead on the aroma of food that quickly floated through the air.

Soon enough they had all settled down on the couch or around it, huddled together with blankets, their stomach full with cheap food, and their eyes trained intently on the screen in front.

At a loud noise and a guttural scream from the movie, Hinata jumped slightly his arms latching on instinctively to someone else.

Kageyama grunted and glared at him slightly.

“Oh! Sorry Kageyama,” he laughed nervously but couldn’t will himself to unclench his fingers from around the boy’s bicep. Especially, when Kageyama was doing nothing to fight it off.

\--

Making his way to the back of the classroom, Hinata hurried into his seat, petrified of being caught standing before his professor came in. He spotted an empty seat and practically dove into it and just in time as well; the classroom door had just slammed shut and his professor entered, surveying the class with narrowed bird-like eyes.

“Today class, we are taking a break apart from the syllabus and discuss a new topic,” he began.

Hinata fished his notebook and pen out of his bag, making sure to be as quiet as possible as he did so.

His professor was halfway through his introductory lecture when his phone buzzed in his jean pocket. He ignored it at first, but he didn’t last more than a few minutes before his curiosity caused him to cave in. Slipping a timid hand into his pocket, Hinata pulled out his phone and thumbed at the screen.

_< Suga> Last night was so much fun Hinata! We should all hang out soon again (:_

He smiled down at the phone and glanced up at his oblivious professor. A warm feeling buzzed throughout his chest at the thought of previous night. He couldn't quite place the feeling, aside from a strange sense of belonging amidst his neighbors' friends. He was pushing his phone back in his pocket when another buzz sounded its alarm.

_< Suga> You should invite your friends next time!_

Hinata frowned. A swelling sensation bubbled in his stomach when he thought that he didn’t necessarily have any friends to introduce to his neighbors. There was Yachi, but they hadn’t spoken in a while and he didn’t want to bother her anyway.

He disregarded his phone for the remainder of the class and decided to reply when he was on his way home.

He shuffling towards his next class when his phone vibrated in his pocket once again. He ignored it at first until he realized it continued to buzz signaling that it was an incoming call. Hinata pulled out his phone and tried to navigate the halls without bumping into someone.

_Incoming call… MOM_

He frowned at the screen and stopped in his tracks, causing someone to crash into his shoulder.

He nodded when he heard the person apologize but wasn’t able to tear his eyes away from his phone screen.

If he answered, he’d be late to his next class and his teacher would chew him out for doing so. But his mother never called at this time unless it was an emergency; she knew he had school at this hour.

Against his better judgement, he answered the phone and slipped into a nearby men’s bathroom.

“Mom?”

_“Shouyou!”_

“Is something wrong?” He asked hurriedly, holding his notebooks close to his chest in an anxious, white-knuckled clasp.

 _“Oh, not necessarily honey. I’m sorry for calling you at this time. Are you in school? Of course you’re in school…”_ His mother worried out loud, mumbling every so often.

“Its fine, Mom. What did you need to talk about?”

 _“Oh! Well, there’s this new treatment that has been on trial in Thailand and Dr. Aromdee has suggested we come. Your father and I would think it best for your sister,”_ she sighed, pausing before continuing _, “We’ll be leaving this Friday and we’d really like it if you came to visit us during the morning even though you’d have to miss class…”_

“Mom that’s fine. I’m sure my teachers will understand.” He tried his best to sound reassuring. After all, finals were over with and classes would soon be out.

_“What I’m trying to say Shouyou...” There was a long drawn out silence before his mother finished in a low voice. “There are no guarantees the treatment will work.”_

Hinata furrowed his brows. This wasn’t news to him. Treatments were never guarantees, they were all percentages—high percentages, low percentages, numbers that calculated his sister’s mortality rate.

 _“But it’s new and the statistics are good, but we don’t know how long we will have to stay in Bangkok. It could be a few weeks or months. Will you be okay, Shouyou?”_ His mother’s high-strung voice made his heart tighten in his chest.

“Of course I will be,” he pushed out evenly, though forced. “I’ll miss you guys, but what’s best for Natsu…is best for me.”

There was a short silence on the other end, empty save for the silent hum of the phone line.

_“I love you dearly, Shouyou. Please take care and have fun at school.”_

The call dropped and his hand slowly descended from his ear. There was a sickening twist in his stomach and he’s not sure he can make it through the rest of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know i know i just started this one and im already lacking. Sorry guys! Life's been hectic this month but hopefully i can get back on top of my works soon (:


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